His Name, Our Refuge (Psalm 79:9)
- Candice Watters
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake! —Psalm 79:9
Psalm 79 is a prayer uttered in the midst of Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians. In verses 1-4 the psalmist laments how the invaders have defiled the temple, ruined the city, and left the slain bodies unburied on the ground. But they are not innocent victims. In verses 5-8, Asaph owns that the Lord’s anger is against His own people for their iniquities against Him.
God had rescued Israel out of slavery in Egypt and planted her like a fruitful vine in a land flowing with milk and honey (Ezekiel 19:10-11, 20:6). But the people rejected His rule and worshipped idols (Ezekiel 33:25-26). They repeatedly rebelled against God despite warnings that He would judge their unfaithfulness. Israel’s suffering was the result of them “choos[ing] their own ways” and “delight[ing] in their abominations” (Isaiah 66:3). They knew the consequences God had promised, yet they broke the covenant He made with them (Isaiah 66:4).
In the midst of the devouring Babylonians, the psalmist repents for the nation’s iniquities and pleads with the Lord for compassion to “come speedily to meet us” (v. 8). He longs for the Lord to turn His anger away from His people and redirect it toward their enemies (v. 6). This is not a plea for retaliation, but for substitution. He knows their sin deserves punishment and he longs for God to put their sin on another: “deliver us, and atone for our sins.” Likely he’s thinking of the sacrifices routinely offered in the very temple being attacked by the Babylonians.
Asaph prayed with faith, believing God would do it. As Alec Motyer says in his Psalms by the Day, the Israelites' status hadn’t changed, nor had God’s saving mercies. Remarkably, after all of their rebellion and idolatry, the people of Israel were still “the sheep of His pasture” (v. 13).
Asaph based his petition not on anything good the people had done. They had no merit to motivate God to act on their behalf. This prayer was an appeal to God’s unchanging character. He had revealed Himself as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7).
The psalmist had faith that God would answer and fulfill His promises, but he could not have foreseen how he would do it.
God said that atonement for sins came through blood (Leviticus 17:11). That’s why the people repeatedly offered animal sacrifices. But those sacrifices could not change the people’s nature. They needed a better sacrifice, One whose death would accomplish what bulls and goats never could. The death of Jesus, the spotless lamb of God, would be a sacrifice “once for all” (Hebrews 10:11-14). It was so unexpected that many missed the Savior when He came (John 1:10-11).
Their only hope that someone would atone for their sin is our hope, too. Our biggest problem is not an invading army or anything external. It’s our own sin against the Holy God. Every person must appeal to God for salvation from God—from His righteous wrath against sin. There is no hope apart from the mercy He offers through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Like Israel, and the rest of mankind, we are undeserving sheep who have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6, Ephesians 2:3). We need God to atone for our sins. As the Old Testament reveals, Israel couldn’t obey the law in their own strength. Neither can we. Asaph asked God to save Israel for the sake of His Name. God, in mercy, sent Jesus, whose mission–to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21)–is the very meaning of His name.
Thanks be to God for His mercy and grace toward rebellious, undeserving sinners like Israel–and like us. In every circumstance, the hope of our salvation is Jesus.
For Reflection
Confess your sins to God and thank Him for His mercy and compassion.
If you are a Christian, ask God to help you live consistent with the new nature He has given you.
Read Ezekiel 36 and underline where God says He will act for the sake of His name, and all of the “I will” statements that He promises to do for His people.
Candice Watters is the editor of Fighter Verses and contributor to Truth78's webinars. She and her husband, Steve, teach My Purpose Will Stand for 5th grade Sunday school at their church in Louisville, KY. The Watterses are the parents of two grown children and two nearly so.